The teachers and supporters marched through the streets with chants of "Hey hey, ho ho, Rahm Emanuel's got to go" and carrying signs demanding fair pay, specifically the 4 percent pay raise the teachers were denied in 2011 as Mayor Rahm Emanuel pushed for longer school days. more ›

Ninety percent of Chicago Teachers Union members polled favor a strike. more ›

Emanuel’s announcement still called for an extension of the school day. Acknowledging resistance to his plan to lengthen the school day, Emanuel gave up his 7.5-hour benchmark for the first time Tuesday. more ›

Chicago Public Schools teachers will finally be able to access YouTube now that CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard has decided to lift the longstanding ban. more ›

Chicago Public Schools has decided to extend high school days by 36 minutes and eliminate the 14-minute homeroom to add 46 more minutes of instruction time. more ›

In light of new school closings, WBEZ and Catalyst Chicago compiled this fascinating map that shows where schools have been closed or turned around, how well the new facilities are performing and what has become of those old school buildings. more ›

Well we can rest easy knowing the CTU won't strike, at least until the issue starts another fight when contract negotiations come up next year. more ›

This is definitely turning into a jarring spectacle that has both the Chicago Teachers Union and Chicago Public Schools up in arms. more ›

It is likely that the finger-pointing will continue as the fate of Chicago public school students, teachers, and parents is put on hold until Lewis and Brizard can come to some sort of agreement. more ›

While math scores have improved “incrementally” in CPS grade schools, the study found racial gaps in both math and reading widened. more ›

The tension between CPS and the CTU only tightens going into the weekend. more ›

U.S. Education Secretary (and former CPS head) Arne Duncan blew back into town this week with some interesting comments on the issues looming in the showdown between the teachers union and City. more ›

CTU President Karen Lewis said during a meeting about the school day extension a few weeks ago that she had a tense interaction with Mayor Rahm Emanuel. more ›

In an effort to bypass union pressure, Chicago Public Schools is offering financial rewards to those schools that adopt its longer school day. Chicago Teachers Union officials aren't happy. more ›

Emanuel believes it was the right decision and hopes that more schools will break with the CTU and opt in for the same. more ›

While some union members are saying that the three dissident elementary schools were coerced -- or even bribed -- into saying 'yes' to longer school days, CPS maintains that no forceful prodding was involved more ›

The expansion of the program is aimed at low-income schools with less technology available and students performing below state standards. more ›

Yesterday, Governor Pat Quinn signed a legislation that would improve school facility planning as well as "increase transparency and accountability in Chicago Public Schools." more ›

The president of the Chicago Teachers Union says that the chances of a teachers' strike is "very high." more ›

Recently released ISAT test scores for Illinois students in grades 3 through 8 show that Chicago Public Schools students have improved in nearly all subjects, bringing some good news to CPS. more ›

CPS CEO Jean-Claude Brizard is doing what he can to help balance a $720 million budget deficit, refusing to accept a series of performance-based bonuses. more ›

Although Chicago Public Schools has been in trouble for quite some time over a grab-bag of issues both in and out of the classroom, talk surrounding who the new CEO of CPS has been the subject of much anticipation. Whoever heads CPS will be trusted to bring about solid change and some much-needed positivity to the CPS community. more ›

When it rains in Chicago Public Schools land, it definitely pours: Interim Chicago Public Schools CEO Terry Mazany recently stated that the estimated deficit for CPS for the next school year is an extravagant $720 million, which is $20 million more than what the projected deficit was this past November. How does Mazany propose to control the deficit? Well, by going to teachers and their paychecks, for starters:

Mazany called for "shared sacrifice," including from teachers. Their pay raises will cost $80 million but, Mazany said, any successor to him appointed after Rahm Emanuel is seated as mayor May 16 will have to decide whether to try to re-negotiate the teachers' contract to trim that tab.

Chicago News Cooperative’s excellent columnist James Warren drops an educational bomb today in detailing CPS’s new “Breakfast in the Classroom” program. No doubt that nutritional issues are hampering performance for a lot of public school kids who simply aren’t getting the food at home needed to keep them focused through the day. And no doubt that takes a toll on teachers and other students. But Warren points to some hugely problematic issues with the program that makes us wonder if the well-meaning plan doesn’t end up doing more harm than good. more ›

Over the past several months, Chicago Public School have done a lot to change their food offerings. As we reported a few weeks back, they will be serving more breakfasts in the classroom, healthier lunches and less junk food. Unfortunately (and we could've seen this one coming) the students won't eat them. Lunch sales are dropping and students are complaining that the food has no flavor. Other school districts around the country have had great success with healthy eating campaigns - what's wrong with ours? more ›

Joe Somar changed the way we watched The People's Court forever. Some foreign product called "movember" was even imported. One thing that hasn't changed: good-hearted guys are still getting together and letting their upper lip go wild in order to raise money for a good cause. more ›

• A construction worker died today after falling through a manhole in the 700 block of N. Michigan Ave.
• The long school day for some CPS students is about to get even longer.
• A male stripper's performance at a private party in a South Side park has cost a 25-year Park District employee his job.

Ten year-round high schools opened Monday with those larger class sizes, and, as a result, fewer teachers than normal. Huberman said schools will be getting "budgetary guidance'' soon on how to open slashed positions.

In the wake of several recent protests, including the student walk-out two weeks ago, the Chicago Teachers Union is planning another protest, this one specifically aimed at new class size proposals that could inflate some classes to as many as 37 students per class. According to a brochure from the CTU [PDF], the protest will start at 125 S. Clark St. next Tuesday, May 25, at 4 p.m. more ›

• Police continue their investigation and have offered a reward in the murder of Lawndale resident Regina McGraw.
• A Cook County judged ruled in favor of Joseph Reyes, a father who wanted to take his young daughter to Catholic church during his visitation hours. The decision came as part of a divorce proceeding between Reyes and his wife, Rebecca Reyes, who asked for an injunction as she was raising their daughter Jewish.
• Two Kentucky men were arrested at the downtown Hyatt over the weekend for having $50,000 in counterfeit money, a suspected "date rape" drug, weapons and fake i.d.'s. No word if they'll also be charged for their hairstyles.